Acute heart failure- Symptoms, Causes and Prevention

What is acute heart failure?

Acute heart failure is characterized by the inability of heart muscles to pump enough blood through the heart to meet the body’s optimal blood and oxygen level. Acute heart failure is also known as Acute heart chamber dysfunction, Hyperdynamic circulation syndrome, Cardiogenic shock etc.AHF or acute heart failure is more common in older patients that are suffering from diminished heart function.

It is a progressive condition where the left ventricle cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s optimal blood and oxygen level. The condition is much more serious than chronic heart failure where the heart muscles degenerate much slowly because of a much lesser load on them.

The condition can accumulate to a life-threatening situation if it is not diagnosed and treated on time as suggested by expert cardiologists. Although cardiac stress tests play a pivotal role in diagnosing AHF, doctors may also check ejection fraction as well as cardiac Troponin I level as well as B-type natriuretic peptide level for diagnosing. Acute heart failure is a medical emergency with a wide range of symptoms in patients including sudden onset chest pain, vomiting, fainting, and breathing difficulties in patients.

What are the symptoms of heart failure?

We can recognize acute heart failure from its symptoms that include:

• Shortness of breath with activity or when lying down.
• Fatigue and weakness.
• Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet.
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat.Reduced ability to exercise.
• Persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged mucus.
• Swelling of the belly area (abdomen)

Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, pale or cold hands or feet, altered mental status and irregular heart beat. If you observe any of the above symptoms, kindly rush to the best nearby cardiologist.

Causes of acute heart failure

Although you may seem healthy, it’s possible to experience a sudden heart event that results in failure:

• infections
• allergic reactions
• a blood clot in your lungs
• viruses that damage the heart
• cardiopulmonary bypass surgery
• severely irregular heartbeats
• heart attack

How to prevent acute heart failure?

Some risk factors, such as genetics or chronic illness, can’t be avoided. The key to preventing heart failure is to reduce the risk factors that you can control. Many of the lifestyle changes recommended for heart failure recovery can also reduce or eliminate conditions that lead to heart failure.These conditions include high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

If you’re at risk for heart failure, you should consider these lifestyle changes:

• maintaining a healthy weight
• getting regular exercise
• eating a balanced, healthy diet
• quitting smoking
• finding ways to manage stress
• managing preexisting conditions, especially heart conditions

Be sure to have regular checkups and report any unusual symptoms to your doctor. For the best heart treatment, connect with the best cardiologists at the right time, else you may get into trouble.

Get the right care at the right time!